Well, the 1998 tournament schedule is in full swing, and I do mean full swing. There has been a tournament on Sam Rayburn and Toledo Bend, every weekend since February 15th, and they are schedule almost as frequently for the rest of Spring and Summer, right up till late Fall. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a tournament nut, and it is one of the biggest boosts to the local economies.
As usual it has been taking some good weights on both lakes to win a tournament, but the weights, in my opinion, will increase during March and April, due to the lakes having a little later spawn than usual. Keep your eyes on the weights in these months.
To change the subject for a second, as anglers, you need to look at the new products on the market this year. I worked the Fishing Show at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas and was really impressed with all the changes in fishing tackle, that was on display.
Almost all the reel manufacturers have come out with new models, all of which seem to be smoother operating and with fewer parts to cause problems with heavy tournament use. Also the rod companies have started to make rods for specific baits. I know they have always said that they did, but how many of you have bought a worm rod, and was only able to throw a spinnerbait or top water with it, because it didn’t have enough back-bone to set the hook effectively?
I had the privilege of working with the Epoch Marketing Group and was extremely impressed with the new Avid series of rods that St. Croix Rods have on the market today. Unlike many rods, these rods brag on the fact that they were produced for the tournament fishing person, and they are built to withstand a lot of use. If you get a chance, pick one up and feel how light and well balanced the new SCIII blank is.
Also, as you can tell, is you read many of my articles, I’m a graph freak. I don’t think there are any companies making dept finders, that haven’t made some tremendous advancements. Most of the changes were made to help the angler have fewer problems learning hoe to use the equipment. I feel that is a good step on the part of the manufacturers, as it will only help their sales. After all, no one wants to appear dumb, but there are a lot of buttons and functions on these units.
Well, until next month: Be Safe on the Water and Have a Great Fishing Trip the next time your on the water.
Duck Wright
By: Duck Wright
